Claire Dawson
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the founder and executive chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). He opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985, launching a lifelong career in hospitality. Meyer's restaurant empire is built on emotional intelligence, with a focus on enlightened hospitality and creating a feeling of belonging. He prioritizes employees, believing that a hospitality business should be hospitable to everyone, especially its staff. Meyer has been recognized for his leadership, business achievements, and humanitarianism, including various awards and accolades. His restaurants, including Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern, and Eleven Madison Park, have received critical acclaim and numerous awards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Leadership style | Meyer flips the traditional organizational chart upside down, placing himself at the bottom. |
| Innovation | Meyer believes innovation is about connecting dots, not inventing anything. |
| Excellence reflex | Meyer believes a great restaurant is defined by how well it handles mistakes. |
| Hospitality | Meyer believes hospitality is about creating a feeling of belonging. |
| Hiring practices | Meyer hires for emotional intelligence and empathy over experience. |
| Employee treatment | Meyer prioritizes employees first and foremost, creating a positive culture. |
| Diversity and inclusion | Meyer has set goals for his company to mirror the diversity of the community in which he does business. |
| Technology | Meyer believes in marrying the high-touch nature of the restaurant industry with high-tech solutions. |
| Expansion | Meyer initially resisted expansion due to his father's bankruptcy, but eventually expanded by replicating his "enlightened hospitality." |
| Business philosophy | Meyer's philosophy is called "enlightened hospitality," focusing on the hospitality quotient (HQ) of his staff. |
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What You'll Learn
Danny Meyer's recipe for success
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the founder and executive chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). He has been recognised for his leadership, business achievements, and humanitarianism, including the 2017 Julia Child Award, the 2015 TIME 100 "Most Influential People" list, and the 2012 Aspen Institute Preston Robert Tisch Award in Civic Leadership.
Meyer's recipe for success is built on emotional intelligence and enlightened hospitality. He believes that the dining experience is about how it makes you feel, rather than just the food. This focus on hospitality is evident in his hiring practices, where he prioritises emotional intelligence and empathy in his staff over technical skills or experience. Meyer calls this the “hospitality quotient" and believes it is necessary for building a timeless brand.
Meyer also understands the importance of innovation and being able to adapt to change. He recognises that the restaurant industry has been slow to adopt new technologies, but emphasises the importance of using tech to enhance the hospitality experience and make it more seamless for customers.
In addition, Meyer prioritises his employees and ensures that they feel safe and valued. He has implemented initiatives to address diversity and inclusion issues and has set goals to mirror the diversity of the communities in which his company does business.
Meyer's expansion strategy is also notable. Unlike other ambitious restaurant empire builders, he did not focus on replicating his initial successful restaurants in other cities. Instead, he stuck close to home, replicating his enlightened hospitality, cultivating regulars, and stimulating buzz.
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Enlightened hospitality
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the founder and executive chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller, Setting the Table, which examines the power of hospitality in restaurants, business, and life. In his book, Meyer shares the lessons he has learned during his time in the restaurant business, from the opening night at Union Square Cafe to the evolution of Shake Shack.
Meyer's approach to hospitality, which he calls "enlightened hospitality", is centred around the belief that hospitality is about unlocking human emotion and creating a feeling of belonging. He prioritises the customer experience and emotional intelligence over food and wine, and this has led to his restaurants being praised for the behaviour of their employees. Meyer calls this the "hospitality quotient" and believes it is necessary for building a timeless brand. This involves hiring for empathy and ensuring that all managers and employees are fully vested in the "enlightened hospitality" culture.
Meyer also recognises the importance of addressing issues that make employees feel unsafe at work and fostering a positive culture. He has implemented initiatives such as a diversity and inclusion council and a 24-hour hotline for employees to report any issues.
In addition to his focus on hospitality, Meyer has also been recognised for his leadership, business achievements, and humanitarianism. He has served on various boards and committees and has received numerous awards, including the 2017 Julia Child Award and the 2015 TIME 100 "Most Influential People" list.
Overall, Danny Meyer's "enlightened hospitality" approach has been a key factor in the success of his restaurant business and has set industry standards for hiring practices, innovative leadership, and corporate responsibility.
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Emotional intelligence in hiring
Danny Meyer, the "King of Hospitality", has built a successful restaurant business, Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), comprising some of New York's most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, and Maialino. Meyer's success has been attributed to his unique philosophy of enlightened hospitality, which involves prioritizing employees and focusing on the dining experience and how it makes customers feel.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a critical component of an individual's skill set and can be a crucial indicator of a prospective employee's capabilities and how well they would fit into a company's culture. EQ refers to the ability to understand and manage one's emotions while also grasping the emotions and motivations of others. Emotionally intelligent individuals can manage stress, adapt to change, overcome obstacles, and inspire others to work towards collective goals.
When hiring for emotional intelligence, it is important to recognize that standard interviews may not effectively test for EQ. Instead, employers can incorporate EQ assessments into their hiring processes, such as tests designed to evaluate a candidate's ability to grasp and synthesize facts. These tests can provide valuable insights into a candidate's emotional intelligence and their potential for success within the organization.
Additionally, when hiring for emotional intelligence, it is essential to consider specific traits indicative of EQ. These traits include perseverance, self-control, and performance under pressure, as well as empathy and compassion. Emotionally intelligent individuals are also effective communicators, collaborators, and problem-solvers, contributing to healthier workplace cultures.
By prioritizing emotional intelligence in the hiring process, businesses can improve team dynamics and create more collaborative and inclusive leadership styles. Emotionally intelligent leaders can better manage conflict, build stronger teams, and foster a happier and more productive work environment.
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Hospitality quotient
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the founder and executive chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller, 'Setting the Table', which examines the power of hospitality in restaurants, business, and life.
Meyer's success in the restaurant business is attributed to his unique approach to hospitality, which he calls "enlightened hospitality". He believes that a restaurant cannot succeed based on food and wine alone, but rather, it should focus on creating a feeling of belonging and unlocking human emotion. This philosophy has guided the growth of USHG, transforming it from a small group of restaurants into a multifaceted hospitality organization.
Meyer prioritizes emotional intelligence and empathy in his hiring process, seeking individuals with a high "hospitality quotient" or HQ. According to Meyer, this includes a list of six "soft skills" that are essential for his employees to possess. By cultivating a staff with these innate qualities, Meyer ensures that his restaurants provide an exceptional dining experience that goes beyond the food and creates a sense of belonging for his customers.
Meyer's emphasis on enlightened hospitality extends beyond his customers to his employees as well. He believes that a hospitality business should be hospitable to everyone, especially its employees, fostering a positive and inclusive culture. Meyer has also been recognized for his innovative leadership style, flipping the traditional organizational chart upside down to empower his employees and foster a collaborative environment.
Through his unique approach to hospitality, leadership, and emotional intelligence, Meyer has built a successful restaurant empire that has set industry standards and earned numerous accolades, including 28 James Beard Awards for USHG and its individuals.
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Scaling a feeling
Danny Meyer is a New York City restaurateur and the founder and executive chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). He opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985 at the age of 27, launching what would become a lifelong career in hospitality.
Meyer's unique approach to the restaurant business has led to his success and fame. He believes that a restaurant cannot win based on food or wine alone. Instead, he focuses on creating a feeling of belonging and unlocking human emotion. This philosophy, which he calls ""enlightened hospitality," involves prioritizing employees and creating a positive culture. Meyer looks for emotional intelligence and empathy in his hires, ensuring that his staff provides a dining experience that makes customers feel valued.
Meyer's concept of "scaling a feeling" is a key aspect of his success. He identifies that, in addition to product and service, feeling is the third crucial element that businesses can scale. To achieve this, Meyer developed a formula centred on the "hospitality quotient" (HQ), which consists of six soft skills that he believes are essential for his employees to possess. By focusing on these soft skills, Meyer ensures that his staff delivers a consistent level of hospitality across all USHG operations, creating a sense of belonging and a unique dining experience that keeps customers coming back.
Meyer's attention to emotional intelligence and soft skills in his employees has resulted in numerous accolades for both himself and USHG. They have collectively won an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, and Meyer has been recognised for his leadership, business achievements, and humanitarianism. He has also authored several books, including "Setting the Table," a New York Times bestseller that articulates his signature business and life principles.
In conclusion, Danny Meyer's success in the restaurant business can be attributed to his ability to "scale a feeling." By prioritising employees, creating a positive culture, and focusing on emotional intelligence and soft skills, Meyer has created a unique dining experience that has earned him and USHG widespread recognition and success.
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Frequently asked questions
Meyer's father owned a travel, hospitality and real estate company, which gave Meyer a passion for food and hospitality from a young age. He opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985, and has since opened several other acclaimed restaurants, including Shake Shack.
Meyer believes that hospitality is about creating a feeling of belonging and unlocking human emotion. He calls this enlightened hospitality. He also believes in hiring for emotional intelligence and empathy, rather than focusing solely on technical skills or experience.
Meyer has scaled his business by replicating his "enlightened hospitality" and cultivating regulars, rather than simply replicating his restaurants in other cities. He also prioritises his employees, ensuring they are fully vested in the culture of enlightened hospitality as the company expands.
Meyer has been recognised for his leadership, business achievements and humanitarianism. Awards include the 2017 Julia Child Award, the 2015 TIME 100 "Most Influential People" list, the 2012 Aspen Institute Preston Robert Tisch Award in Civic Leadership, the 2011 NYU Lewis Rudin Award for Exemplary Service to New York City, and the 2000 IFMA Gold Plate Award.
